Salary dispute illuminates larger questions about tourism efforts

Published: Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 3:04 p.m.

How much should a county that depends on tourism to drive the economy compensate the person who's in charge of promoting the area to tourists?

In Volusia County, that's a complicated question.

It's complicated because, it turns out, Volusia County is a geographic anomaly. We stand alone among the 67 counties in Florida. We are the only county that must be divided by three in order to attract tourists.

Sure, other counties have palmetto, but no other county has palmetto like our palmetto. That is why our palmetto so effectively divides west Volusia County from east Volusia County.

And yes, other counties have water, but no other county has water like our water. That is why our water so uniquely divides east Volusia County from southeast Volusia County.

This must be true. How else can one logically explain the way Volusia County divvies up geography and tax dollars in our not-always-successful effort to attract tourists?

Over the past two weeks, a flap ensued over how much to pay Jeffrey Hentz, the main candidate to become CEO of the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The CVB is a quasi-public body that is funded with bed taxes. It answers to the Halifax Area Advertising Authority. In turn, HAAA's budget is approved by the County Council.

Everybody seems to agree that Hentz is a very capable tourism pro who would be a good fit to run the CVB. But here's the gist of the rub: HAAA board Chairman Ted Doran offered Hentz a base salary of $140,000 with a potential bonus of $25,000. That amount attracted the initial ire of County Chairman Frank Bruno and a couple other County Council members. If paid that amount, Hentz would stand to potentially make more than Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson, who earns $155,000 a year to keep the county safe and manage several hundred law enforcement personnel.

Last Thursday --- after Hentz agreed to trim $5,000 from his base salary and $5,000 from his potential bonus -- the County Council debated for a while and then approved Hentz's compensation package. On Friday, the HAAA board also approved the package, which Hentz had already signed, so it looks as if he will soon call the Daytona Beach area home.

That's a good thing. Hentz, by all accounts, knows how to attract tourists. The Daytona Beach area can use that skill. We may have the World's Most Famous Beach, and there's no doubt that the famous beach is beautiful. But a good percentage of hotel rooms are unoccupied too many days and nights along the beach, and when rooms are filled, it's too often at bargain rates. Many jobs depend on filling those hotel rooms.

Hentz will earn his pay if he can put more heads on the beds.

But the thing is, Hentz's compensation shouldn't really be the issue in the first place. The issue is what it costs Volusia County to have three tourism agencies -- HAAA, the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority and the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority -- instead of one agency like every other county in Florida.

In Volusia County, population less than 500,000, the collective base annual salary for the heads of the three tourism agencies amounts to $262,000. By comparison, the salary of the recently-departed head of Hillsborough County's (population 1.9 million) tourism agency, Tampa Bay and Co., was $241,000. Should a county our size pay more to attract tourists than a county four times our size?

What makes us so special? Aren't we more similar to other Florida counties than we are different from them?

Beyond the money, it's worth discussing whether three tourism agencies working separately are more effective than a single agency that looks after the tourism interests of the entire county.

I know, Volusia County's three agencies were mandated by the state Legislature. That can be undone. But it won't be undone unless Volusia County officials take a hard look at whether the Balkanization of efforts to attract tourists makes sense.

The county is in the middle of conducting an $89,000 study focused on how to promote ourselves to tourists. During a meeting with The News-Journal editorial board last week, Doran said the study is exploring whether it makes sense for Volusia County to maintain three tourism boards, but to place one administrator over the entire county's efforts to attract tourists.

In a county that seems to take pride in geographic factionalism, the mere possibility that tourism efforts could fall under one administrator will lead to vigorous debate.

Given the current approach, and the results from it, it's a debate worth having. And now is a good time to have it.

<p><p>How much should a county that depends on tourism to drive the economy compensate the person who's in charge of promoting the area to tourists? </p></p><p><p>In Volusia County, that's a complicated question. </p></p><p><p>It's complicated because, it turns out, Volusia County is a geographic anomaly. We stand alone among the 67 counties in Florida. We are the only county that must be divided by three in order to attract tourists. </p></p><p><p>Sure, other counties have palmetto, but no other county has palmetto like <i>our</i> palmetto. That is why <i>our</i> palmetto so effectively divides west Volusia County from east Volusia County. </p></p><p><p>And yes, other counties have water, but no other county has water like <i>our</i> water. That is why <i>our</i> water so uniquely divides east Volusia County from southeast Volusia County. </p></p><p><p>This must be true. How else can one logically explain the way Volusia County divvies up geography and tax dollars in our not-always-successful effort to attract tourists? </p></p><p><p>Over the past two weeks, a flap ensued over how much to pay Jeffrey Hentz, the main candidate to become CEO of the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The CVB is a quasi-public body that is funded with bed taxes. It answers to the Halifax Area Advertising Authority. In turn, HAAA's budget is approved by the County Council. </p></p><p><p>Everybody seems to agree that Hentz is a very capable tourism pro who would be a good fit to run the CVB. But here's the gist of the rub: HAAA board Chairman Ted Doran offered Hentz a base salary of $140,000 with a potential bonus of $25,000. That amount attracted the initial ire of County Chairman Frank Bruno and a couple other County Council members. If paid that amount, Hentz would stand to potentially make more than Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson, who earns $155,000 a year to keep the county safe and manage several hundred law enforcement personnel. </p></p><p><p>Last Thursday --- after Hentz agreed to trim $5,000 from his base salary and $5,000 from his potential bonus -- the County Council debated for a while and then approved Hentz's compensation package. On Friday, the HAAA board also approved the package, which Hentz had already signed, so it looks as if he will soon call the Daytona Beach area home. </p></p><p><p>That's a good thing. Hentz, by all accounts, knows how to attract tourists. The Daytona Beach area can use that skill. We may have the World's Most Famous Beach, and there's no doubt that the famous beach is beautiful. But a good percentage of hotel rooms are unoccupied too many days and nights along the beach, and when rooms are filled, it's too often at bargain rates. Many jobs depend on filling those hotel rooms. </p></p><p><p>Hentz will earn his pay if he can put more heads on the beds. </p></p><p><p>But the thing is, Hentz's compensation shouldn't really be the issue in the first place. The issue is what it costs Volusia County to have three tourism agencies -- HAAA, the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority and the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority -- instead of one agency like every other county in Florida. </p></p><p><p>In Volusia County, population less than 500,000, the collective base annual salary for the heads of the three tourism agencies amounts to $262,000. By comparison, the salary of the recently-departed head of Hillsborough County's (population 1.9 million) tourism agency, Tampa Bay and Co., was $241,000. Should a county our size pay more to attract tourists than a county four times our size? </p></p><p><p>What makes us so special? Aren't we more similar to other Florida counties than we are different from them? </p></p><p><p>Beyond the money, it's worth discussing whether three tourism agencies working separately are more effective than a single agency that looks after the tourism interests of the entire county. </p></p><p><p>I know, Volusia County's three agencies were mandated by the state Legislature. That can be undone. But it won't be undone unless Volusia County officials take a hard look at whether the Balkanization of efforts to attract tourists makes sense. </p></p><p><p>The county is in the middle of conducting an $89,000 study focused on how to promote ourselves to tourists. During a meeting with The News-Journal editorial board last week, Doran said the study is exploring whether it makes sense for Volusia County to maintain three tourism boards, but to place one administrator over the entire county's efforts to attract tourists. </p></p><p><p>In a county that seems to take pride in geographic factionalism, the mere possibility that tourism efforts could fall under one administrator will lead to vigorous debate. </p></p><p><p>Given the current approach, and the results from it, it's a debate worth having. And now is a good time to have it.</p></p><p><p><i>Rice is editor of The News-Journal. His email is <a href="mailto:Pat.Rice@news-jrnl.com">Pat.Rice@news-jrnl.com</a>.</i></p><i></p><p></i><p><i></i> </p></p><p><p></p></p><p>-----</p>